In 2014, thousands of schoolchildren across the Australian State of Victoria received Christian religious education provided by the Access Ministries organisation. However, this particular ministry is under severe pressure due to the activities of very influential lobby groups consisting of parents and social activists.
The first school in Victoria had its curriculum set as early as 1840. That curriculum embedded religious instruction among the broader range of subjects, at a time when such integration of faith instruction with secular subjects was widely accepted. In order to build a sense of unity in the crucial area of the educational formation of young Australians, the Joint Council for Religious Instruction in State Schools was established in 1920. It was the forerunner of today’s Access Ministries.
Twelve denominations
Access Ministries has long been the largest provider of special religious instruction (SRI) in Victorian schools, reaching a peak of 130,000 children participating in 940 schools in 2011. In this program, Access Ministries has received the support of 12 Christian denominations including mainline Protestant, evangelical and Pentecostal groups. It has received significant government funding over the years. In addition, other faiths have also received government funding for providing special religious instruction in schools on Buddhism, Islam, Hinduism and so forth.
